Alcoholism Flashcards
What are the signs that a person may have alcoholism (CAGE)?
C – Ever felt a need to cut down?
A – Annoyed by people criticising your drinking?
G – Guilty?
E – Ever need an EYE OPENER to steady yourself in the morning?
What organs are affected in alcoholism?
Heart, GIT, CNS, liver, blood.
How is the heart affected in alcoholism?
Arrhythmias, cardiomyopathy, hypertension, sudden cardiac death.
How is the blood affected in alcoholism?
Raised MCV, GI bleeding, folate deficiency, anaemia from bone marrow suppression.
How is the GI tract affected in alcoholism?
Obesity, ulcers, diarrhoea.
How is the CNS affected in alcoholism?
Poor memory/cognition.
How is the liver affected in alcoholism?
Can lead to alcoholic hepatitis that can progress to cirrhosis, fatty liver which is reversible can also progress to cirrhosis, raised GGT, biopsy can show Mallory bodies.
What is alcoholic hepatitis?
Acute inflammation with jaundice, encephalopathy and coagulopathy.
What does raised ALT indicate?
Specific hepatocyte damage.
What does raised AST indicate?
Hepatocyte, skeletal and cardiac muscle damage.
What LFT change indicates alcoholic liver disease?
AST:ALT > 2. (<1 indicates a viral cause).
What does raised ALP indicate?
Biliary tree damage or direct liver damage to bile canaliculi where ALP is released.
What is ALP released by?
Bile canaliculi and bone.
What does raised GGT indicate?
Biliary tree damage or chronic alcohol toxicity.
What does raised prothrombin time indicate and why?
Could be liver damage as it produces lots of clotting factors.
